Back To Business
by Margaritaville08
Summary: Pictures of a drunken romp at a nightclub featuring Sidney Crosby and a puckslut go viral and PR maven Molly O'Sullivan is called in to do damage control. The pair thinks nothing of each other, she is simply the average looking flyers fan who dresses in ill fitting suits that currently runs his life, and he is the professional athlete that she is getting paid to basically babysit.
1. Chapter 1

She could remember clearly the first time she saw him in person. His presence demanded attention even if his personality screamed that he didn't want any. She had been with the club for a couple weeks, working in the off season to familiarize herself with her new department as well as the arena that held her new office. It was the end of summer and the guys had just started showing up for the start of their preseason workouts. All day she had been reading through contracts, talking with agents and strategizing about how best to play out the next season.  
She had been on the phone with the marketing division for Reebok, going over another grueling contract of Crosby's, and discussing the limits the contract provided when a knock came from her office door. She waved him in and quickly dismissed the rep on the line with a promise for a call back later. Standing up she offered her hand to him.  
"Mr. Crosby," she shook his large hand before introducing herself, "Molly O'Sullivan. Thank you for taking the time to come see me. Please have a seat."  
He nodded and listened half heartedly as she explained the changes that would be taking place in the upcoming season in regards to his public appearances and endorsements. She sighed internally as he nodded along with her words, though not really listening to them. Deciding to cut it short she thanked him again and dismissed him. He mumbled out a thank you and beelined it for the door, causing her to roll her eyes in frustration.  
Just another hot shot jock strap with a complex.  
She didn't see him in person until a month after that, workouts had started and the city was a buzz with the promise of the restart of hockey. She had already had to conduct some damage control for some of the more promiscuous players on the team that had taken to being back in the burg like a bad habit. She wasn't surprised with the appearance of the photos and the rumor mill for players like Talbot and Staal, in fact she had expected it and prepared for it. Mario had given her a heads up on who to look out for, who were the party animals and who stayed as far away from the media as possible. He had basically ensured that his little golden boy Sidney was too dependable for his own good, and that he avoided bad situations like the plague.  
Which was why she was surprised when the photos came across her desk and popped up on her morning news feed, although she was not surprised when her phone started ringing off the hook. All morning she fielded calls from his sponsors, his agent (who agreed they all needed to work together on this) as well as anyone else looking for a comment from the Pens rep, which she would not give. A long discussion with Mario decided how they would manage the press and not ten minutes later the man of the hour was sitting down across from her, looking sheepish and blushing underneath a worn Pens hat.  
She leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other and bouncing her foot as she stared at him. He looked now, more than ever, like the kid that he was, ready to get a scolding from his parents about his naughty behavior.  
Truth be told Molly couldn't understand how something like this hadn't come up before hand. Shit, she didn't very much like the guy but that didn't mean that she didn't know his accomplishments. Youngest Captain ever to hoist the Cup, Olympic Gold Medal golden goal scorer, the list went on and on. The kid could have whatever woman in North America that he wanted, he could have been out partying and whoring it up and deserved every second of it. But according to Mario, he had been a bit of a shut in, not wanting to do anything to upset his fans or his sponsors while his teammates went out partied and fucked anything with a pulse.  
She sighed and shook her head to clear it, the poor kid looked like he was going to shit himself if she didn't say something soon.  
"Look Mr. Crosby, I know-"  
"Sidney."  
She raised an eyebrow at the interruption causing him to flush.  
"You can call me Sidney. Or Sid if you want."  
"Like I was saying Sidney, I'm sure you've already been read the riot act by Mario and your father so you aren't going to hear it from me."  
He let out a deep breath and nodded his head. Molly reached for the photos that had started this whole fiasco and placed them in front of him on her desk causing him to wince and avoid looking at them.  
"I'm not here to judge you Sidney, I'm here to try to do damage control. I know that I have no idea what it means to be you, the fame, the press, the fans, I can imagine it's exhausting. But unfortunately being Sidney Crosby comes with the territory and people will follow your every move. Don't tell Mario this, but I personally don't blame you for wanting to have a little fun. You're young, you're famous and from what I've heard you've spent most of your career doing nothing but being hockey's golden child."  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that her friends-"  
Molly held up a hand, stopping him mid sentence.  
"You don't need to apologize to me Sidney. It's your life, I think you deserve to let loose once in a while. However that being said, I think that we need to do something about this little problem."  
Molly waved her hand over the photos, which contained Sidney and some nameless girl in the back lounge of a club, her legs straddling his wide thighs, his hands up her shirt and down her skirt and their tongues entwined. Sidney felt sick to his stomach at the intimacy that the photos revealed, he thought he had been doing the right thing. They were drunk and they were in the VIP section, away from prying eyes and phone cameras. He wasn't even sure if he had gotten her name before she was offering up herself to him on a silver platter.  
It was something he was used to and normally he just let them down easy and called it a night, but that night was different. He had been so angry, so frustrated with the never ending bullshit that came with his career, that he had let loose, downed more shots of tequila than he could count and had taken the blonde into the back and fucked her on the black vinel couch, not realizing that her friends were not as preoccupied with his friends as they made him believe.  
"What do we do? Am I losing any sponsors?"  
Molly shook her head and collected the photos from the desk before walking over and putting them through the shredder, as if destroying the copies would make them go away from all the internet sources they were currently dominating.  
"We've managed to deter the sponsors from any immediate action, however there will be a lot of ass kissing to do in the upcoming weeks." Sidney managed to crack a smile before she continued.  
"I'm talking photoshoots, press junkets, signings, skate days, the works. We want to show everyone that you're still you, that this will have no effect on the upcoming season."  
Sidney nodded along, figuring as much. Molly waited a minute before letting the other ball drop.  
"What you did," she motioned to the shredder where the incriminating photos now lay in pieces, "Is normal for a guy your age. If you weren't playing professional hockey you would be out partying with your friends and hooking up with random girls. Hell, what am I saying, most of your teammates still do that!"  
Sidney laughed and nodded his head in agreement.  
"What I'm saying is, I believe that you've been reclusive for far too long. You're never in the media so when something like this happens they take to it like wildfire to a dry field. My approach, and Mario agrees with this, is to market you not as "Sidney Crosby the hockey god" but "Sidney Crosby the everyday guy". We figure that once the media gets glimpses of you out and about the wow factor will eventually wear off. But right now, you're spotted out and about by them just as much as bigfoot is. It's why they are blowing this story up."  
"So what are you saying?"  
"What I'm saying is you just became the hockey player next door."

Sidney groaned as Mario told him he was expected down the hall in Ms. O'Sullivan's office. He couldn't remember if he had met Molly O'Sullivan before, it would have been in the first weeks and he just kind of went through the motions during that time. Her door was open and she was talking on the phone, loud enough to know it was about him and this major fuck up of his. She waved him in and disconnected with whoever she was talking to. He thought he had met her before, something about the blue eyes and all that blonde curly hair screamed familiarity.  
The jacket of her pantsuit was draped across the back of her chair and the ill fitting blouse did little for her pale complexion. She took off her glasses to rub her eyes, trying to rub the fatigue of dealing with his bullshit away. He listened as she described what he considered to be his own personal nightmare. There would be public outings, media tips when he was out doing normal "everyday" things like grocery shopping or running. There would also be more charity events than usual, more hospital visits than last year. It was media overload with the idea that eventually Sid could go out to get a cup of coffee without it being plastered all over the front page of the paper. He had lived in seclusion so long that the media devoured anything they could get in regards to the city's golden boy.  
"For the future, if you ever find yourself in a, um, compromisible situation again. Please do me a favor and call me. Damage control is a lot easier if you can get ahead of it."  
"I don't plan on there being a next time Mrs. O'Sullivan."  
Molly rolled her eyes and smiled at him.  
"Please, it's Miss. and for the love of god call me Molly. Ms. O'Sullivan makes me sound 40."  
Sidney grinned and reached for the card that she extended to him, complete with cell and office numbers, as well as email.  
"I'm serious Sidney, if you need anything, no matter the time of day, you can always reach me okay?"  
"Thanks Molly," he nodded his consent.  
They discussed the first media day, deciding against a public statement of apology, according to her he didn't have much to be sorry for. As the boy next door he could go out and party like a normal person.  
"Okay, this would be easier if she," she mentioned to the shredder again, "was there to back you up on this one. Please tell me she's a girlfriend?"  
Sidney shook his head.  
"Uh, no."  
"Okay, well what's her name?"  
Sidney blushed to the tips of his ears and mumbled that he didn't know causing Molly to burst out laughing. He scowled at her and she chuckled and apologized.  
"Okay here's what we are going to do. Tomorrow after practice you, LeTang, and Geno are going to head over to UPMC to the pediatric ward and make some kids very happy. After that you are going to meet Mario and Nathalie at Cole Hill Steakhouse for dinner where there will be an "impromptu" photo op. We'll start from there and then we will drop more hints to the press about your whereabouts. Because of this you and I will need to be in cahoots daily so make sure your phone is on. I also understand that you'll want your privacy which is why we'll schedule a few things a day and the rest can be spent doing what you want. Sound good?"  
"I don't really have a choice do I?"  
"Ah, you're finally understanding that now? Took you long enough!"  
Sidney giggled and then quickly stopped as the girlish sound left his lips, causing Molly to bite back a smile at the outrageous sound.  
"Listen, I'm not going to lie, the next few months are going to suck but I'm going to try to make it as easy as possible for you. Besides sending me your daily schedule and putting up with a few more pictures and charity events nothing else should really change. If you do have a girlfriend you might want to give her a heads up."  
Molly was being polite for his sake, thinking that maybe he had been cheating on someone with that slut from the bar, and that maybe whoever his mystery girlfriend was would stay with him regardless.  
"No girlfriend for me."  
She smiled a little and then nodded before clicking on something on her computer causing her printer to shoot out some pages. She stapled them together and handed the package over to him.  
"Here is a list of events by week. You need to choose two every week that you want to attend and let me know a week in advanced. Think you can do that?"  
Sidney's eyes bugged out of his head as he read through all of the events.  
"Two a week! That's crazy. I have practice and training and therapy I cant do two things a week!" He threw the papers back onto her desk and crossed his broad arms across his muscular chest.  
Molly simply stared at him, one blonde eyebrow raised as he pouted.  
"You know, Giroux was just photographed helping to rebuild houses along the coast and then the next day at a children's hospital visiting with terminally ill kids."  
Molly grinned as Sidney's gaze tightened and his gaze burnt holes into her. She got up, grabbing the packet and walked around her desk. Sidney watched her warily until she was standing in front of him. She dropped the papers into his lap and looked him dead in the eye.  
"And I bet he doesn't have any incriminating pictures of him on the internet either."

Mario tried not to smile as Sidney paced back and forth in his office, ranting about what a bitch the woman down the hall was. How dare she bring up Claude fucking Giroux, the nerve that she had, blah blah blah. Mario was severely tempted to roll his eyes at his almost adoptive son as he ranted and raved about the situation he had gotten himself into. Finally when Sidney realized that Mario hadn't said a word he looked at his mentor, and got rewarded with that look. The one that told him he was being petulant and needed to sit down and shut up before he said something he regretted.  
"Are you done?"  
Sidney nodded and huffed, feeling much younger then the early twenties that he was in.  
"This wasn't just her idea Sid. I approved everything, and I hate to point it out again, but you got yourself into this situation kid."  
Sidney knew that, he did, but it didn't mean he had to like it.  
"But she brought up Giroux! Fucking Giroux! Seriously Mario you're just going to let her say things like that? It's the Flyers!"  
Mario laughed and shook his head.  
"It's about time someone who worked here said No to you. You know I love you like my own but a lot of people around here get too starstruck with you to do anything productive. It's one of the main reasons why I hired her, she's not a Pens fan."  
This caught Sidney's attention and he scrutinized his mentor, shaking his head in denial. There was no way. No fucking way that Mario would hire…  
"No."  
Mario smiled and folded his hands in front of his face at the utterly horrified look on the young captain's face.  
"You didn't…"  
"Every damn woman that has held her position has either been too flexible with you guys, or has slept her way through the team. How else was I supposed to get someone in there who didn't take shit from the team, and didn't want to sleep with them?"  
"But she's…"  
"Yes, she is."  
"I can't fucking believe you hired a Flyers fan."  
Mario simply smiled and waved his hand, dismissing him from his office.  
"See you for dinner tomorrow night. Don't be late."


	2. Chapter 2

The next weeks passed in a blur of media events and having cameras follow his every move. Well, at least the moves he told Molly about. He was in contact with her daily, updating her on his daily schedules and planned outings. He also had a sit down with her once a week to discuss what progress they were making and what the future held in regards to their little arrangement.  
He dreaded the meetings like the plague, the crass, pull-no-punches business sense the woman possessed nearly drove him up a wall. Most of them consisted of him being difficult and her making some snarky comment about what a primaddona he was which resulted in him stomping out of the room in a fit.  
He hated the fact that the press was now privy to his personal life and it was all thanks to her. The day following the media mishap in the club he had barely been able to set foot on the sidewalk without being mobbed by the press. The week following had been the same, his life turned into an already bigger circus than it had been overnight.  
His mouth practically produced the words "no comment" automatically when fielded with the fucking ridiculous questions that these trash reporters came up with. It took everything in him not to roll his eyes and tell them where exactly they could shove their questions, but of course he bit his tongue and smoothly deflected the questions with an ease he had been practicing most of his young adult life.  
He loathed to admit that as the weeks passed, he could see Molly's plan working. The first couple of days he was spotted out it made local news, like him buying Wheat Thins at the local grocer was such a huge fucking deal. Then, little by little, his outings lost their charm. He went from front page news to second, then third, then by the time opening day rolled around the fact that he left his house at all wasn't even noted in the press.  
He figured that he should thank her, his life had gotten significantly easier since the first couple of weeks after the incident. That's how he found himself sitting in her office and attempting to make small talk after one of their weekly meetings.  
"So, how does a Flyers," he almost choked on the word, "fan start working for the Pens?"  
Molly smirked and tapped the pen she was holding against her lip.  
"Aw, poor Crosby isn't impressed that I'm not falling at his feet?"  
Sidney glared at her causing her to cackle and roll her eyes.  
"Well if you must know I used to work for the Jets."  
"Winnipeg?"  
Molly rolled her eyes again and pointed to her cork board behind her, which held a picture of her and a now retired Curtis Martin, the best running back in the NFL at his time.  
"The New York Jets, as in the football team."  
Sidney blinked, obviously confused.  
"You know, football? Big burly guys tackle each other and throw around an inflated pigskin-"  
"I know what football is!"  
"Well sheesh why didn't you just say so?"  
Sidney glared at her and she chuckled before shaking her head and smiling.  
"I got a job for the agency that represented some of the Jets more high profile players right out of college, they were my team growing up so it was like a dream come true."  
"Woah wait a minute. How are you a Jets and Flyers fan?"  
Molly chuckled, a slight flush flooding her cheeks as she shrugged.  
"I honestly have no idea. I grew up on Long Island in a family full of Islanders fans, my dad said I became a Flyers fan just to be obnoxious, which honestly doesn't surprise me but I've been a Flyers fan since I could remember."  
"An obnoxious Flyers fan, what else is new…"  
He thought that he mumbled it low enough not to be heard but when her eyebrows shot up he knew he was in trouble.  
"Yeah, well there were all ready too many obnoxious Pens fans so I had to fill in somewhere else."  
Sidney narrowed his gaze at her and felt his jaw clench.  
"Oh come on you have two New York teams, three if you count Buffalo, and you decide to root for enemy number one?"  
She just tossed him a shit eating grin and shrugged her suit clad shoulders.  
"What can I say, Giroux's a hottie."  
Sidney bristled and clenched his jaw even more causing her to burst out in laughter. Not the kind of laughter that the girls he hung out with had; that fake giggling sort of laughter that tended to grate on his last nerve. No, Molly's laughter was a full belly laugh, complete with her flushed face thrown back and her eyes closed in mirth, she had no qualms about how she looked expressing herself, but regardless he still stomped out of her office like a child anyways, throwing his last attempt at a comeback over his shoulder as he left.  
"That's not funny."  
He couldn't help the small smile that twitched his lips as she let out another round of laughter at his expense.

Their next meeting found him attempting to be civil again.  
"So why the Burg?"  
She shrugged and looked at him through her glasses.  
"After working with the Jets the firm I work for offered me this position for a year with an option of an extension at the end of the season. I thought I would be with the Jets forever, but football players get really old, really fast."  
"Oh, and hockey players are better?"  
To her mortification Molly actually snorted, before covering her mouth.  
"Not by much."  
Sidney pretended to be hurt by her accusation but smiled at her.  
"Just do me a favor kid and try to make my job a little easier. No more romps in the VIP section of lounges alright? At least take em home first."  
Sidney had the good graces to blush before they turned to the next week of their schedule.  
As the season progressed Sidney found himself looking forward to his visits with Molly. Once he was able to look past the whole Flyer fan nonsense, it was nice to be in the company of a woman that he didn't have to worry wanted to sleep with him, or get to his money. In fact she was quite the opposite, she was so unimpressed with the fact that he was Sidney Crosby that she was one of the few people that told him exactly how it was, not at all afraid of bruising his superstar ego.  
She was just Molly, no sexual attraction, platonic friends, Molly. It was good to get an unbiased woman's opinion every once in a while and before he knew it the Flyer's fan and the Captain of the Penguins found themselves in an unlikely companionship.  
Molly had never thought of Sidney as a potential sexual partner. I mean he was Sidney fucking Crosby for Christ's sake. He had been enemy number one when she had accepted the position for the Pens. She had seen him as the whiny little crybaby that she basically had to babysit for the next year. Her sister had even sent her a tumblr account of all pictures of him getting hit when she had accepted the job with the Pens.  
It was her ultimate rule, never get involved with who you worked with. She had seen too many women lose their jobs over it and to her, no piece of famous ass was worth that, no matter how hot he was.  
She had noticed just about everyone else in the locker room, she was a woman after all. She noticed Kris Letang and that fucking gorgeous hair of his, and Talbot and his never failing charm, who was even so kind as to hit on her once or twice, even if it was just for fun.  
But Sid? No, Sid was just that awkward kid who didn't go out much, had a weird laugh and a huge boner for everything hockey. To her, he was merely another face in the locker room. Another part of the job who just happened to befriend her.  
Molly had never entered Sid's mind as anything other than a coworker and an unlikely friend and confidant. He had never really seen her outside of an ill-fitting pantsuit. She wasn't one of those women who craved attention, in fact she seemed to shy away from it.  
Her looks were average, curly blonde hair and blue eyes sat in an average face and on top of an average sized body from what he could tell. She was tallish for a girl, around 5'8" and from what he could tell was built somewhat big all around. She certainly wasn't stopping traffic, and nowhere near the build of the girls that he normally went for, although it was difficult to tell what exactly was underneath those frumpy pantsuits.  
Their friendship wasn't questioned in the locker room since she wasn't a show stopper so obviously their Captain wouldn't be sleeping with her. Plus she had stepped up to the plate with most of the guys on the team and had succeeded in either bailing them out of a mess they had created for themselves or making their overall lives generally easier, so she had earned an honorary star in their books. Even though she was a Flyers fan.  
Since "The Incident" as he had dubbed it in his mind, Sidney had been avoiding the bar and club scene even more so than usual. Therefore his weekends usually found him inviting Molly over for take out and, occasionally, some beers. Sometimes they played Call of Duty and others they vegged out and watched movies. One weekend they had tried minigolfing but he had ended up being recognized and the day had to be cut short due to the small mob scene his mere presence had created at the course.  
A week before their first game against the Flyers found Sidney sitting in her office watching her finish up her work so they could go watch the third installment of The Lord of the Rings. He played a game of tetris on his phone as she typed away on her keyboard, the silence between them comfortable and familiar, neither feeling the need to fill the empty space with even emptier words.  
"Let's do something else tonight."  
He looked up from his phone to see her shutting down her computer and getting up out of her chair to stretch.  
"Like what?"  
"I heard about that incline thing why don't we do that?"  
Sidney hesitated, most of the time they went out in public it ended badly. His hesitation was followed by guilt, he had been the reason why Molly spent her weekends cooped up indoors.  
"Sure."  
"Don't worry Crosby I can call ahead and reserve a private car so you wont be stuck with a screaming fangirl all the way up. Although that would make for one hell of a video."  
Sidney shuddered at the thought and threw on his jacket before following her out of the office.  
They took his car since she had walked to the office that morning and Molly immediately commandeered his ipod jack, pressing a few buttons before the sound of cymbles and drums filled the car speakers with a song he had never heard before. He watched from his perefereal as Molly lipsynced to the song.  
My body tells me no  
But I wont quit cause I want more  
Cause I want more  
The song was catchy and not like anything he normally listened to but he found himself nodding his head to the beat.  
"Who is this?"  
"Young the Giant. They are going to be huge one day."  
"They're pretty good eh?"  
Molly snorted and let out a very unladylike cackle.  
"Oh my god did you actually just say eh?"  
Sidney couldn't help the flush of his cheeks nor the scowl pointed in her direction, which had about as much effect as a mouse would up against a lion.  
"Shut up."  
"Don't you mean shut up eh?"  
Sidney continued to scowl as he turned down the road that would eventually lead them to the Incline.  
"Hey eh, I'm from Canada eh."  
"I do NOT sound like that!"  
"Can I get you some maple syrup with your snow eh?"  
"Oh my god can you stop being an asshole New Yorker for like two seconds? I don't talk like that!"  
Sidney glanced over to see her sitting perfectly still in her seat, a wide grin stretched across her face which looked like she was trying her best to suppress it.  
"You don't even know anything aboot Canada."  
It was the straw that broke the camels back and Molly let out a guffaw so loud that she had to double over.  
"Oh. Oh my god!" Her words were interrupted by loud laughs and deep breaths in between as Sidney fumed in the drivers seat, parking the Rover in a spot outside the Incline office. "You...Ha! You said aboot!" He sat in silence as she laughed herself calm, taking deep breaths and wiping away joyful tears that had accumulated in her eyes.  
"Oh my god. You Canadians are so funny."  
"Well at least people actually like us. Everyone hates Americans."  
"Well of course they do. They hate us cause we're the best!"  
Sidney rolled his eyes before pushing open his door.  
"My point exactly."  
Sidney waited outside as Molly bought tickets and then pulled his hood over his head and quickly handed his ticket to the clerk before boarding the little wooden car. The door shut behind them and the car started at a climb up the hill, Molly glued to the window as they ascended.  
"I changed my mind. I don't want to do this anymore."  
"What'd you mean. You were all about this like five minutes ago."  
"Look how steep this thing is! Do you hear it creaking? We are going to cascade to our death!"  
Sidney couldn't help but laugh at her expense before pulling her to him and resting his head on her shoulder, turning her head into his chest to block her from the view.  
"Aw is little Molly afraid of heights?"  
He grunted as her fist made contact with his abdomen, her face still buried in his shoulder.  
"I'm not afraid of heights you jackass. I just don't trust human engineering. People mess up all the time."  
"Oh come on you have to at least look at the city. It's all lit up."  
"Ugh fine. But when we die and they have to scrape my body off the bottom of this hill I'm blaming you and then haunting your loved ones."  
She turned in his arms and he smiled when he saw her lips turn up.  
They stared at the twinkling lights of his city for a few minutes in silence before she spoke up.  
"Alright. It is kind of cool."  
Sidney grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.  
"Told you so."  
Molly rolled her eyes and took in the lit up skyline.  
"Still has nothing on New York though."  
Sidney couldn't help it as his eyes rolled up and into his head.


	3. Chapter 3

Sidney knocked on Molly's office door long after she was supposed to be gone before letting himself in. She was hunched over her computer, flustered, hair falling out of the messy curly braid it was in, glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she typed furiously away at her computer.

"Okay workaholic, that's enough for today."

"No Sid I still have to fill out this statement for accounting before Tuesday and I need-" she was cut off as he pulled her rolling chair away from her desk, hands outstretched towards her keyboard as she rolled further away from her work.

"Sid!"

"If I know you, and I do, you're probably already a week ahead of any work that you actually have to do. Come on, the guys are going out and you're coming with us."

She groaned and dropped her head back.  
"I told you, I don't do clubs."

"No clubs, just dinner. In fact we're going to a pub. I think you'll really like it."

She looked skeptically at her friend, seeing if he was trying to trick her. After all, Friday nights with no game the following day were like goldmines for the party boys of the team.

"_Just_ a pub?"

"I swear."

Molly sighed and when she opened her mouth to argue she was hit in the face with a ball of fabric.

"I took the liberty of grabbing your bag out of your car. No excuses about how you're overdressed. Meet me in the parking lot in ten. I'm driving."

She huffed as the door shut behind him and grumbled while pulling on her extra pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She met Sidney five minutes later and hopped into the passenger side of the Rover.

"If you're dragging me out with the guys then we are at least listening to my music before we get there."

She didn't wait for Sidney's response before plugging in her ipod turning the volume to full blast as Luke Bryan's voice came through the radio. He laughed as she sang along in a fake southern accent to her favorite country singer for a few seconds before turning the volume down to a more manageable level.

"So who's gonna be there tonight?"

"I don't know, Max and Jordy. I think Tanger might be there with his girl, not sure about the rest."

"And they don't mind that I'm coming?"

"Why would they?"

"I don't know, we haven't ever hung out with them before."

"They all love you Moll. Don't worry about it."

"Alright, if you're sure."

Sidney smiled at her across the center consol.  
"I'm sure."

They had to circle the block a few times before finding a parking spot. Molly pulled her jacket tighter around her body and shivered. It had seemed as if the temperature had dropped overnight, leaving her grossly underprepared in her light spring jacket.

When they stopped in front of the bar Sidney grinned at her. A dark green awning with the name 'Molly Malone's' had Molly rolling her eyes before following him into the pub. The establishment was dark, with an old mahogany bar and booths around the perimeter. They didn't need to look too hard for the guys, Jordan's tall blonde head easily seen in the somewhat crowded area.

The guys said their hellos, Max gave her a nod and a wink which she returned with an eye roll. She politely said hello to Kris's girlfriend, feeling a little self-conscious in her jeans and Henley compared to the skinny jeans, blouse and heels the woman was wearing.

_Whatever _, she thought, _they were in a pub and seriously, who wears heels in a pub?_

To her utter shock the night turned out to be pleasantly fun. She had really just been spending time with Sidney, the rest of the guys seemed to actually have social lives that didn't involve hanging with their media relations manager, but she was able to get to know them in a situation that didn't involve fixing their scandals.

She politely listened as Kris's girlfriend talked about the trials of finding just the right shade of lipgloss, nodding along as the woman complained about having to constantly reapply the sticky stuff. Luckily she was saved by Max and spent a majority of the night nursing a Guinness and watching in amusement as he flirted his way through every girl in the bar.

"So, do any of those lines actually work?"

The guys howled and Max dramatically clutched his chest in mock pain.

"You wound me, mon amour! I am simply waiting for the right woman to sweep off her feet," he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, looking up at her with an impish grin on his face. "What do you say, ma belle?"

Molly laughed despite the heat in her cheeks and patted him on the head like the misbehaved dog that he was.  
"I don't date French guys."

Cries went up from the Francophiles on the team and Sidney laughed out loud as Max pretended to die at Molly's feet.

Looking back, Sidney realized that it was one of the few nights he had gone out with the team that he actually recalled having fun.

Halloween came and went with a ridiculous party at Geno's that Molly wasn't in attendance for. She had given Sidney a load of shit for his thunder thighs that he showed off in his gladiator costume, much to his chagrin. The season looked promising and although she urged Sidney to go out with his teammates he normally found himself lounging with Molly on his couch, either playing video games or getting roped into watching one of her ridiculous BBC series.

She seemed to him like the only friend he'd ever had that was a girl and he enjoyed her company more than he did some of his teammates. They spent most of their nights together, shooting the shit and solidifying a deep, and highly unlikely friendship. She made his blood absolutely boil when she spoke of "her Flyers" and he refused to watch the games with her, if only to not have to listen to her brag about how good their penalty kill was. He would respond along the lines of 'their penalty kill is so good because they take too many dirty penalties', and she would simply smirk and nod along with a 'whatever you say Sid'. But sure enough the next time she'd show up at his house she'd be wearing that hideous orange tshirt with that stupid Flyers logo on it.

A home game in December found the Pens with a win against the Rangers, much to the delight of both Sidney and Molly. The locker room celebration soon overflowed into plans to hit up a nearby club, and invitations were extended to all the staff.

It had become a game of sorts in the locker room, trying to get Molly to come out with the guys. Every single time the team went out to a club they invited her and every single time she declined. Tanger had an arm around Molly, trying to convince her to join them all in the postgame festivities. She was shaking her head, stating that she needed to get home to feed and walk her dog and couldn't join. Sidney, feeling overly confident after a goal and two assists approached the duo.

"I'll take you home to feed the dog and then you're coming to the club with us."

There was a finality in his voice that shocked even himself. Tanger looked on wide eyed before getting a shit eating grin and nodding his approval. Molly blushed to the roots of her hair before shaking her head and trying to mumble out some excuse but he was having none of it.

"Mon ami! You live right near me. I will take you home and go grab my phone from my apartment and then we will both go to the club!"

Sidney shot daggers as Talbot wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled him to her. She rolled her eyes and socked him in the gut causing him to wince and Sidney to smile.

"Fine Max, but I'm not waiting for an hour for you to make yourself pretty."

"Ah no wait time needed. I am gorgeous as I am!"

She rolled her eyes and let him lead her out to the parking lot. Sidney ran a hand through his hair and followed his teammates out of the arena and to the club. They had all arrived within minutes of each other and secured the VIP section upstairs. A few lucky girls had been granted access and were currently draping themselves across the closest hockey player that would give them the time of day. Sidney rolled his eyes at their desperation and wondered silently what was taking Max and Molly so long.

"Maxime! You must be outside of your god damn mind, there is no way in hell I'm wearing that!"

Max smiled as he held up the dress.  
"Oui. What else in this pitiful wardrobe of yours were your planning on wearing?"

"It's not pitiful! The only thing I do here is work, therefore I have a work wardrobe."

Max rolled his eyes and snatched a pair of black patent leather pumps from deep inside of her closest.  
"Stop arguing. When's the last time you went out and had fun? You need to get laid Ms. I'm married to my job."

Molly flushed and flipped him off before grabbing the dress and heels and heading for her bathroom.

"Moose! Sickem!"  
Max looked at the pit mix lying next to him on the bed. The dog merely snorted before rolling over for a belly rub causing Max to laugh and indulge the pooch.

"Jackass!"

Max chuckled as he meandered to her couch to watch sportscenter as she got ready. Twenty minutes later he heard her door open and turned to give her hell for taking so long only to have his jaw hit the floor.

Sidney decided that he was allowed one drink, after all he had scored the game winner tonight, and as long as he didn't fuck anyone in the back room he was pretty sure he'd be okay. He heard Staalsy let out a wolf whistle and turned to see what the fuss was about. Max led his new flavor of the week up the stairs to the section the Pens were currently inhabiting. Sidney let out a low whistle of his own as he took in Max's date.

She was curvier than most of the guys liked, with hips and breasts that jutted out like the pure definition of a woman. So unlike the bony fake chested pucksluts that the guys were used to. Her straight blonde hair was long, and didn't have that dead look that said it had been dyed that color. The black dress she wore clung to her curves at all the right places, leaving a little bit of cleavage on display and the lower part of her legs, which were toned with athletic muscles.

She was nothing like the girls Sidney went for, but she was everything that he ever wanted and he couldn't help but drool, teammate's date be damned. Tanger's elbow jutted into his ribs ripping his gaze from the beauty on his teammates arm.

"So that's what she was hiding under those suits."

Sidney looked at him, confused as he glanced back to Max. Max had his hand on her lower back, whispering something into her ear as she threw her head back and laughed, that damn deep belly laugh that he knew.

_No._

She took a step to the side and smiled at Max, her gaze glancing around the club before meeting his briefly, his eyes widening in shock. Her deep blue gaze met his and he about fell over as he looked into the eyes he was so used to seeing behind those thick Ray Ban frames and frizzy hair. Her name left his lips in a deep exhale.

"Molly."

"Maxime, I cannot believe you made me come here dressed like this."

She felt ridiculous, there was so much of her skin showing, legs, arms, back, chest, there was just too much to possibly cover. She could practically feel the extra fat around her hips jutting out, only accentuated by the bandage dress that max insisted she wear.

Her hair was straightened for the first time in months, and her dramatic eye makeup made her feel like a $12 hooker instead of the sex kitten she had been going for when she had courageously donned the stuff.

Max pulled her to his side and whispered into her neck, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin much to her chagrin. Ugh, she was _NOT_ turned on by Max Talbot right now. Mr. Superstar who basically told Philly to go fuck themselves with that stupid "Shh" motion of his. But damnit if the guy didn't have game.

"You look beautiful love."

Molly half heartedly punched his shoulder and laughed. She was seriously going to Flyers hell.

"Stop it Max, you're making me blush."

"Ah, someone seems to be a little jealous of me taking up all your attention."

Molly internally rolled her eyes, there were a plethora of beautiful girls here tonight that any guy on the team could go home with. She followed Max's gaze to meet the hazel eyes that she had come to know very well over the previous months. She smiled and discreetly waved at him, not wanting to ruin his game for any girls that would be in the immediate vicinity.

He grabbed his drink and walked up to the duo.

"Molly," he took a sip of his drink, "You look… nice."

Her smile faltered a little at his tone and her hand reached down to pull the dress to try to cover more of her pale thighs.

_This dress was a bad idea._

She knew she looked ridiculous and Sidney's comment had just confirmed her worries. She had no business being here whatsoever. This was not her scene, she didn't fit in, she wasn't cut out for this meat market by any means.

She missed the glare that Max sent Sid's way, and the remorse that crossed Sid's face as he realized how his compliment came out. She fidgeted in Max's hold before breaking away and avoiding their gazes.

"I'm going to go get a drink. Do you boys want anything?"

She plastered on her best smile, this was what she did for a living, she could do it now. She didn't wait for their answer before heading to the exclusive VIP bar and ordering a Jack Honey on the rocks. After receiving her drink she turned to survey the area, it was lateish and by this point everyone had basically paired off with who they would be taking home for the night. The girls were all model thin with miles of tan skin stretched over toned muscle and perfect features. Their hair and makeup were accentuated by their designer dresses and purses.

She felt weird being the extra add on for the evening and decided it would be best to stick to the married or taken group of guys on the team. She didn't want to be responsible for any catfights, so she made her way over to Marc Andre and Vero.

Max biffed Sidney across the back of the head as Molly practically ran to the bar.

"Are you stupid or something?"

Max's eyes glowed fire as he stared down his captain. Sid groaned and ran his hand through his hair and then over his face. He couldn't get the image of her in that dress out of his head. He hadn't even recognized her at first, her appearance so different from the pantsuits and business attire he was used to seeing her in. His pants were still slightly tight as he thought about the supple chest that she kept hidden behind loose conservative shirts, and those creamy athletic legs that went on for miles and were accentuated by those fuck me pumps she had strapped to her feet.

In an instant she went from platonic unattractive friend to sex kitten extraordinaire. And that was a huge problem.

"Fuck."

Max grunted and eyed up the man beside him.  
"Don't Sid… just, fuck you have no idea."

Max swore in French before turning his eyes back to Molly who was currently chatting up Vero and Marc, crossing her legs over each other and causing her dress to reveal more creamy thigh.  
Sidney could barely tear his eyes away from the sight. He blamed the alcohol coursing through his system but all he wanted was to throw her up against a wall and bury himself between those silky thighs.

"You should apologize you know."

"I meant it as a compliment."

Max rolled his eyes. For all the game that their captain had on the ice he possessed none off of it.

"Sure didn't sound like one. You do realize that woman isn't like the others. She doesn't do this," he gestured around them to the club, "like ever. It was a miracle to get her here dressed like that and you basically shot her confidence to shit in one sentence. Make it better. Or I will."

Sidney looked at his teammate, expecting to see the carefree gaze that Talbot had all but mastered but was met with nothing but a serious brow as he nodded and walked off.

Sidney was talking himself up to go talk to her when Max apparently thought he was taking long enough and grabbed her from Vero's grasp to go dance. She shook her head in denial and claimed she didn't dance. However Max didn't take no for an answer and dragged her out anyway. Sidney gripped his highball as he watched Max spin her around and pull her back flush to his front. His hands encircled her waist as they both moved to the beat, Sidney mesmerized by the fluidity of her movements as she moved against his teammate.

His glass almost shattered in his hands as he watched Max brush her hair back from her neck and placed his lips to her bare shoulder blade. He waited for Molly to step away, or throw his hands off her or maybe even punch the guy in the jaw. But much to his dismay she let out a moan he could see more than hear and leaned her head back against Max's shoulder, moving her hips against his as the dance continued.

He didn't realize how long he had been staring at them until Tanger pried the glass from his white fingers and placed it on a nearby table.

"She's a good girl Sidney."

He just nodded in response, his eyes never leaving the couple on the dance floor.

"Don't fuck with her if you don't plan on doing something about it. She's good people."

Sidney didn't understand why Tanger was warning him when it was Max that was currently grinding himself into her. He didn't get to respond before the defenseman left him alone again. He ordered another Jack and threw it back just as the dancing duo made their way back upstairs again, laughing about something that Sidney wished he had been privy to.

Molly ordered a Jack Honey on the rocks and Sidney just about busted a nut in his pants. There was nothing better than a girl that drank whiskey. Granted it was honey whiskey, but whiskey nonetheless.  
Max had an evil grin as he turned to Sidney, his hand still resting on Molly's lower back.

"Sid, why don't you take this beauty for a spin on the dance floor. Mon ami, her moves," he made a move to wipe imaginary sweat from his brow and grinned at her causing her to blush. Molly shook her head and looked from Sidney to Max.

"Nah, Sid can't do that kind of stuff. Wouldn't look too good for him to be dancing with the likes of me. Media nightmare waiting-"

"Yes I can."

Molly's jaw dropped open, as did Max's before he quickly shut it and grinned like a madman. He never thought the kid would actually take his bait. Sidney stretched out his hand and took hers before leading them to the dance floor. When they got there she leaned close to him so he could hear her over the beat of the music.

"You don't have to do this you know. If you wanted to prove a point I'm okay with that we can just go grab a drink from the bar. We don't have to-"

She was cut off as he turned her around and encircled her waist with his arms, pulling her back into him.

"I said I wanted to dance. I'm a man of my word Moll."

Millions of PR nightmare scenarios ran through her mind, the pictures, the comments alone, should have been enough to not let it go any further, but the minute his hips pressed into hers all those thoughts flew out the window as she synced up with him and moved to the deep bass.

She secretly loved dancing like this, although it wasn't something she partook in often. Normally at clubs like this she sat back and watched her friends flirt with the many men that approached them. Molly enjoyed herself when she went out drinking and most of the time it didn't bother her that she was the only one leaving without a guy for the night.

She very rarely had enough alcohol in her to dance, too many times she had been on the wrong end of a joke or a bet to dance with the grenade. One too many of those had given her a complex that was hard to break. She knew she wasn't overweight by any means. She had played soccer and lacrosse all through high school and college and had retained her muscular thighs and calves from that. Her shoulders were broader than was deemed "feminine" and she had arm muscles from working out, but they weren't those toned slim arms that girls in ads for the gyms had.

She might have had a little extra weight around her hips and chest that she had been trying for years to get rid of but when it came down to it she just loved good food and drink too much to really care. She was pleasantly okay with the way she looked, she was also realistic, which is why she was instantly skeptical of any guy out of her league asking her to dance when there were hundreds of, what society would consider, beautiful women all around them.

The reaction Sidney's body had to her was immediate and embarrassing. His hands ran over the soft curve of her hips, his hands splaying across her stomach and causing him to smile when he felt her suck it in. The flare of her waist was one of the sexiest things he had ever felt, it was all soft, and curve, and woman. So unlike the petite model like girls he was used to. Molly was all ripe natural beauty, and completely unaware of it.

She felt him hard and long against her ass and grinded against him harder, knowing that it was just a guy's natural reaction to being touched down there and not to take it personally. After a couple of songs her legs started to hurt from being in heels and they made their way back. Most of the team had left with their entertainment for the night. Surprisingly Max was alone, standing up when the couple approached.

"Molly, want to share a cab home? You're right on the way."

She nodded and grabbed her purse before turning to Sidney.

"Thanks for the dance. You didn't have to do that, but I had fun."

"So did I."

_You are so beautiful._

The words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't bring himself to say them as she walked away with his friend, his eyes on her hips the entire way out.

He groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets.

_He was so fucked._


End file.
